20 killed as police, Taliban clash in Farah

FARAH (Pajhwok): Eight policemen and 12 Taliban insurgents have been killed during an hours-long clash in the Bala Buluk district of western Farah province, an official said on Saturday.

Police spokesman Nasir Mehri told Pajhwok Afghan News the clash broke out on Friday night when a group of militants stormed a police check-post in Nahlak area of the district.

He said eight policemen and 12 insurgents were killed in the firefight that last five hours and left another three militants wounded.

Sufi Ahmad, a resident of the area, said the Taliban captured the police post for several hours and killed 10 police and held one alive.

However, he had no information about Taliban casualties.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi said the fighters had overrun the check-post and bodies of the slain police remained at the site.

He claimed a tank and 20 Kalashnikovs of the police were also captured by the fighters.

However, his claims were rejected  by the police spokesman who denied the police post had fallen to the rebels.

mz/sa/ma